People used to think the cathedral was floating above a cityEly Cathedral(Image: Cambridgeshire Live)It would be crazy to think that a landlocked county like Cambridgeshire once had places surrounded by water. This was the case for Ely, which was once known as the Isle of Ely.When it had this name, the historic city was surrounded by undrained fens and water. As the city stood on a high point of around 85ft, it was only reachable by boat. It was surrounded by water until the 17th century, until the surrounding fens were drained and converted into farmland.Ely is well-known for its cathedral, and with the city once being surrounded by water, the cathedral had a nickname inspired by this fact. It was known as the ‘Ship of the Fens’ because it stands so high over the city and is also 26m above sea level.When Ely was surrounded by water, it looked like the cathedral was floating. The cathedral can still be seen from miles away across the fens, from the roads or the railway.It dates back to AD 672, when it was founded by St Etheldreda. The earliest parts of the building date back to 1083, and it became a cathedral in 1109.The cathedral is considered architecturally outstanding due to its scale and style. It was built with a Romanesque style, but the galilee porch, lady chapel, and choir were rebuilt in an exuberant Decorated Gothic style.Today, the cathedral is popular with tourists, attracting around 250,000 visitors every year. As well as people wanting to look inside the cathedral, there is also a hidden museum inside.The stained glass museum is tucked away on the first floor of the cathedral. The museum is the only one of its kind in the UK. For anyone who hasn’t yet been to this iconic cathedral, then it may be worth the trip.
Iconic Cambridgeshire cathedral that can be seen from miles away
